MURRIETA (CNS) - A wind-driven wildfire that may have been started bya lightning strike has scorched about 1,400 acres just west of Murrietta,prompted evacuations and the closure of schools and is 7% contained thismorning. The blaze was first reported about 3:55 p.m. Wednesday in the area ofClinton Keith and Tenaja roads, in the unincorporated community of La Cresta,according to the Riverside County Fire Department. In the course of an hour Wednesday night, the fire exploded from 250acres burned to nearly 1,000 acres, the fire department said. No injuries havebeen reported. The agency reported 44 engine crews and seven hand crews, numberingabout 500 personnel, were sent to the location and encountered flames in heavyvegetation, spreading to the north. Along with county crews, firefighters from Murrieta Fire & Rescue andother agencies were working to contain the fire, which slowed as nightfallapproached. About 10 p.m., the Murrieta Valley Unified School District announcedall of its schools would be closed Thursday. ``This measure was taken in consideration for the safety and well-being of our students, staff and their families,'' the district said in a poston its Facebook page. ``In addition, with the number of mandatory and voluntaryevacuations in place and road closures in the area of the fire, we anticipatestudents, staff and teachers would have difficulty getting to school sites(Thursday).'' All residents on The Trails Circle and Copper Canyon North and Southwere under mandatory evacuation orders and areas of Bear Creek were under avoluntary evacuation order. The Santa Rosa Plateau Visitor Center was shutteredas the flames moved along the western side of Clinton Keith Road, crossingridges, the fire department said. ``This is the time people need to heed, need to make sure they prepareand start voluntary evacuating,'' Riverside County fire Capt. FernandoHerrera told KCAL9 Wednesday night. ``Don't wait until the last minute, don'twait until that mandatory (evacuation order), it may be too late.'' A care and reception center was established for displaced residents atMurrieta Mesa High School. Small animals were being accepted at thatlocation. Accommodations for larger animals were available at the San JacintoAnimal Shelter. Six Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters maderuns on the blaze, but pulled out by 8 p.m. due to poor visibility. Clinton Keith Road was closed south of Avenida La Cresta, and TenajaRoad was shut down between Via Volcano and Clinton Keith Road for public safetyand to give crews freedom to maneuver. A thunderstorm cell moved through the area just prior to the fire, andit's suspected that a lightning strike ignited it. Power lines were reported down at the location.